Brian Reidy: Milk quality vs quantity as we head into September

One of the key topics covered at the group meeting was how feeding and management can influence milk quality and how long it takes to influence it.

One of the key topics covered at the group meeting was how feeding and management can influence milk quality and how long it takes to influence it.

I attended an excellent discussion group meeting earlier this week in West Tipperary. We covered many topics on the night, and there was much discussion, particularly about the quality of fertiliser products and their poor performance on the farm this year.

It’s a bit late in the year for this now, but it is something that all farmers need to consider before they begin to purchase and apply fertiliser in 2025. Granules turning to dust in their spreaders, very poor spread patterns, striping in grazing and silage swards, and low growth were the main concerns of those attending. Are farmers actually getting in the bag what the label says, and if not, how does that affect the fertiliser register and its accuracy? There is much to ruminate on!